The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-02-26
"THE LOTTERY FOR REVENUE"

"THE LOTTERY FOR REVENUE"
"The Ouachita Telegraph pleasantly
but summarily buries our suggestion
Of the advisability of a lottery for rev.
enue evidently not deeming the prop.
osition of sufficient importance for are
gument, our contemporary advances
no reasons why the scheme is not feas-
ible or advisable, but is contented with
condemning it on its face" etc., etc.
The Telegraph INDUCES the conceit
that 1t has few vagaries, that it bestrides
no hobbies, and seeks not after the un-
attaEnable. We live In an eminently
practical age. Nineteenth century
civilization is one Of utilitarianism.
We are in active and indefatigab]e
pursuit of that which Bentham was
pleased to term the greatest happiness
principle.
These reflections are suggested by
the foregoing initial lines Of an article
In the last issue of the Tensas Gazette
wherein 1t is sought TO impress upon
the people of Louisiana the propriety
of permitting. their State government to
60 into the lottery business on its own
account.
We have no fears that the Gazette
will consummate its original project,
and therefore, without the slightest
purpose to discredit the ability, 1nfiu-
ence or sagacity Of its editor, we sub.
NIT that his lottery scheme has inhe-
rent dead weight to compass its own
sssummary burial" There is no need
of extraneous help for that pious pur-
purpose.
We feel quite assured that the Gazette
will receive no countenance from the
press OF Louisiana.
Tho editor of the Telegraph esteems
himself honored that his name is en-
rolled upon the roster Of Louisiana
newspaper men. We like cleanness
and purity Of public utterance, and the
newspapers Of this State, with few un-
worthy exceptions, are clean and pure.
They wrangle in politics, but they ex-
toll virtue and decry vice. Here, they
stand upon common ground, and pur-
sue common purpose. Abandonment
Of these cardinal features will mean
annihilation of their 2'uiso's d'etre. Such
a press will not support the Gazette's
monstrous proposition.
The people certainly will not do so.
In their supreme majesty, they have
already spoken upon this subject.
We commend to the Gazette care
full perusal of the Constitution of 1879.
Article 172 of that instrument is in
these words: "Gambling is declared
to be a vice, and the General Assembly
shall enact laws for its suppression"
Would the Gazette have the people
of Louisiana, in their sovereign capac-
ity, waiiow in vice, which In that
sane capacity, they have declared they
shall not, as individuals, indulge in?
Can any sane and self-respecting Cit
izen of Louisiana seriously desire that
she shall cover herself over with the
sores of Inconsistency?
1t may be argued that the constitu~
ton legalizes, and therefore condones
and endorses lotteries.
We answer that the Louisiana State
Lottery company was transmitted to
us by regime Of Radicalism. 1t is
the offspring of an alien government.
Our people are in no sense responsible
for its existence. When we recovered
our birthright from alien hands, we
found that barnacle upon it, and to
mitigate an existing evil was the
highest possible achievement in the
direction of healing an unsightly sore
upon the body polite. We had the
lottery, and the courts had said that it
enjoyed contract relations with the
State, which could not be Impaired by
subsequent legislative action.
An indignant sovereign people, by
no means for the first time in history,